Clinuvel Introduces Groundbreaking Vitiligo Program at the World’s Biggest Dermatology Meeting, AAD 2025

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — World-leading photomedicine company CLINUVEL will make its début at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting from March 7–11, with an immersive exhibition that illuminates the past, present and future of photomedicine.

The 4,800-square-foot Pavilion of Photomedicine has been custom built for CLINUVEL for the AAD Meeting to provide an immersive experience on the history, evolution, and future of photomedicine, including CLINUVEL’s development program with the novel drug SCENESSE® (afamelanotide) to treat vitiligo and work with other melanocortins.

Visitors will travel through five curated courts to experience CLINUVEL’s world of innovation, from the origins of their pioneering melanocortin technology to the ongoing clinical trials that are defining a new approach to treating vitiligo. A 360° video installation explores patients’ perspectives, getting under the skin of what it means to live with visible disorders.

The history and evolution of photomedicine will be on display in the “Derma Hall of Fame”. It pays homage to more than 60 luminaries who have advanced scientific understanding of the interaction between light and human biology. The Pavilion also charts CLINUVEL’s 20-year journey towards developing and commercialising SCENESSE^®, the first and only treatment for the rare metabolic disease erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP).

Vitiligo can inflict profound psychological damage on patients. A series of talks held in the Pavilion gives visitors the opportunity to engage directly with individuals’ experiences. Three conversations with CLINUVEL’s brand ambassadors—each with their own inspiring, challenging story of living with vitiligo—aim to increase understanding and empathy for a condition that often has a complex, personal effect on identity. Additionally, guests will hear about the long-fought path to bringing treatment to those who most need it from two prominent porphyria advocates.

Speakers include Natalie Ambersley, a vitiligo advocate who is also a trustee of the UK-based charity The Vitiligo Society; Briya Fitzgerald, whose own diagnosis drove her to establish a nationwide community called Colorful Connections; Reuben Sam, a model and advocate for vitiligo, as well as Wil McCarthy, award-winning American science author.

“CLINUVEL has established itself as a global leader in understanding the complex relationship between light and skin,” said Dr Linda Teng, CLINUVEL’s Head of North American Operations. “Our FDA-approved melanocortin technology SCENESSE^® has helped patients with a rare light-intolerance disorder lead more normal lives and is now showing promise as a treatment for vitiligo, which affects millions of individuals worldwide.”

“The AAD Meeting is the culmination of more than a year of planning and intensive work to expand the reach and depth of our work in vitiligo. We exhibit the world’s first Pavilion of Photomedicine, a momentous undertaking by the team to introduce melanocortins and systemic repigmentation to thousands of new medical professionals.”

The AAD Annual Meeting is the largest annual gathering of dermatologists, researchers, and industry professionals in the world, attracting 20,000 delegates. The Pavilion of Photomedicine is open March 7–9 in Booth 881 and free to enter. AAD 2025 delegates can secure a visit by booking a timeslot in advance.

CLINUVEL’s senior and global clinical teams will be available to discuss their current and future programs, as well as commercial opportunities. It is an unparalleled opportunity to explore the innovative melanocortin technology that places CLINUVEL at the vanguard of photomedicine.

www.clinuvel.com/aad-annual-meeting-2025

Notes to editors:

Accredited journalists at AAD 2025 may book a slot to visit the Pavilion of Photomedicine and arrange interviews via Ms Genevieve Tay.

CLINUVEL is trialling the first systemic therapy in vitiligo to offer extensive repigmentation without suppressing the immune system. The treatment is for patients with more than 10% of their body affected by the condition. An ongoing global phase III trial (CUV105) is evaluating the safety and efficacy of SCENESSE^® as an adjunct to narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy in vitiligo patients aged 12 years old and above, with Fitzpatrick Skin Types III–VI. More information here.

About CLINUVEL PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED  

CLINUVEL is a global specialty pharmaceutical group focused on developing and commercialising treatments for patients with genetic, metabolic, systemic, and life-threatening, acute disorders, as well as healthcare solutions for specialised populations. As pioneers in photomedicine and the family of melanocortin peptides, CLINUVEL’s research and development has led to innovative treatments for patient populations with a clinical need for systemic photoprotection, repigmentation and acute or life-threatening conditions who lack alternatives.

CLINUVEL’s lead therapy, SCENESSE^® (afamelanotide 16mg), is approved for commercial distribution in Europe, the USA, Israel, and Australia as the world’s first systemic photoprotective drug for the prevention of phototoxicity (anaphylactoid reactions and burns) in adult patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP). Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, CLINUVEL has operations in Europe, Singapore, and the USA. 

Media Contact: 

Ms Genevieve Tay
VP, Communications and Content
mail@clinuvel.com